METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR STORAGE AND DISPENSING OF PHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCTS IN UNIT DOSES OR ADMINISTRATION UNITS

• US 20110017764A1
• Filed: 03/17/2009
• Published: 01/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Deenova Srl (Santa Lucia Pharma Apps SRL)
• Original Assignee: Ingegneria Biomedica Santa Lucia S.p.A. (Althea Group SpA)
• Inventors: Rudello, Fulvio, Pavesi, Giorgio, Liguori, Pierangelo
• Granted Patent: US 8,478,441 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 221/1
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/165 using xyz-picker or multi-dimensional article picking arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/1657 the picking arrangements using suction
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/64 in which the articles are individually suspended from stationary supports
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0092 for assembling and dispensing of pharmaceutical articles medical dispensers for private use, A61J7/00

Abstract

A method and automated apparatus (1) for dispensing pharmaceutical products in unit doses or administration units wherein the unit doses (2) suitably arranged and/or separated within the apparatus (1) can be dispensed into the compartments (5) of an associated cart (4), to fill patient-specific medication prescriptions for patients of a ward. A telescopic manipulator unit (6, 106, 206) has elements (16) adapted to select and pick up the doses required to fill patient-specific medication prescriptions from a matrix (10) of unit doses (2) and elements (7, 107) for coupled interaction with the compartments (5) to directly release the picked up doses (2) therein.

Claims

1. An automated apparatus (1) for storage and dispensing of pharmaceutical products, said pharmaceutical products being divided into unit doses (2) or administration units, and suitably arranged in a matrix (10) of unit doses, characterized in that it includes a manipulator unit (6, 106, 206), which is designed for:

a. selecting and picking up the unit doses (2) required to fill patient-specific prescriptions from said dose matrix (10),

b. loading a compartment (5) of a cart means (4) with said unit doses (2) so selected and picked up.

2. An apparatus (1) as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that such loading process is carried out once one or more doses (2) that fill the medicament prescription are selected or introduced in the drawer/compartment (5) one by one as they are selected.

3. An apparatus (1) as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the manipulator unit (6, 106, 206) has coupling means (7, 107, 207) for opening and closing the compartment (5) of the means (4) for introducing one or more unit doses (2) picked up from the matrix (10);

said coupling means (7, 107, 207) being connected to the manipulator unit (6, 106, 206) to cause the drawers/compartments (5) associated with the cart (4) to be grasped and opened or closed.

4. An apparatus (1) as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the manipulator unit (6, 106, 206) has intermediate support means (9, 109, 209) for temporarily holding the selected and picked up doses (2) until the corresponding drawer/compartment (5) is opened.

5. An apparatus (1) as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said manipulator unit (6, 106, 206) has a telescopic arm (12) which extends along guides (13) to reach even the innermost doses (2) on the rods (3).

6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that said telescopic arm (12) has suction cup gripper means (16) for grasping the unit doses (2).

7. An apparatus as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that said telescopic arm (12) has reading means (17) for reading the barcode of the dose (2) to be picked up and/or handled.

8. An apparatus (1) as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said manipulator unit (6, 106, 206) has means for allowing displacement along at least two vertical and transverse Cartesian axes, to cover the whole width of the panel or matrix (10).

9. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said unit doses (2) are supported by substantially horizontal pegs or rods (3, 223), carried by a panel or matrix (10) having special hanging loops (11);

said panel (10), rods (3, 223) and respective doses (2), wholly contained in the closed structure (1a, 1b) of the apparatus (1) are protected by undesired handling.

10. An apparatus as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that the manipulator unit (106) has a spout (121, 221) which is adapted to be coaxial and aligned with the corresponding pegs (3, 223) with which it comes in contact.

11. An apparatus as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that said spout (221) and said pegs (223) have helical threads, for axial forward displacement of the dose (2) received in the groove of said threads, upon rotation of the spout (221).

12. An apparatus as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that said suction cup means (16) move the dose (2) from the peg (3) to the spout (121) and then from the spout (121) to a support or retainer means (109);

once the retainer (109) is retracted, the doses (2) so picked up are released into the underlying compartment (5) using a tilting chute (109) which allows proper routing of the doses (2) to their final destination.

13. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the manipulator unit (6) includes a chute (8) that forms, in combination with the corresponding retainer means (9) an intermediate holder for the unit doses (2) that have been picked up.

14. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said manipulator (206) has integral gripper means (226) which are adapted to grasp the doses (2) temporarily held by a retainer (209) of the matrix (10) and then release them onto a tilting chute (228) which allows proper routing of the doses (2) to their final destination in their corresponding drawer.

20. A computer program having computer program code means for carrying out what is claimed in claim 14 when said program is run on a computer.

21. A program as claimed in claim 20, characterized in that:

a. it allows medicament regime design directly from prescription lists;

b. it allows management of pegs (3, 223) even in multi-drug mode, to allow loading of one peg (3) with unit doses (2) of different low-rotation medicaments, the program being able to ascertain the position of each medicament dose;

c. it allows medicament delivery as needed;

d. it manages mission priority;

e. it manages the inventory;

f. it optimizes dose shelf life;

g. it controls internal ventilation/conditioning;

also it records temperatures for documentation and certification purposes;

h. it controls stock consistency and congruence

i. it allows integrated management of all configuration parameters

22. A computer program as claimed in claim 20, characterized in that it is stored on computer readable media.

24. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that it is modular and expansible, by the addition of further sections containing matrices of pegs (3, 223), in response to the requirements of wards having different pharmaceutical consumption parameters.

25. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the manipulator unit (106) has a spout (121, 221) which is adapted to be coaxial and aligned with the corresponding pegs (3, 223) with which it comes in contact.

15. A method for dispensing pharmaceutical products in unit doses or administration units, characterized in that it includes:

a. means for selecting and picking up the unit doses (2) required to fill together patient-specific prescriptions from said dose matrix (10), and

b. means for interaction with containers or drawers (5) of an associated cart (4) loaded with the picked up products;

said picked up products being loaded into the compartment (5) after selection of the doses (2) that fill the medicament prescription or one by one as they are selected.

16. A method as claimed in claim 15, characterized in that it includes the step of picking up unit doses (2) using suction cup means (16) of a telescopic arm (12) of a manipulator unit (6, 106, 206) that is allowed to move along the three cartesian axes.

17. A method as claimed in claim 15, characterized in that it includes the step of selecting the doses using barcode reading means (17) for reading the barcode on the dose (2).

18. A method as claimed in claim 15, characterized in that it includes the step of replenishing the matrix (10) using the same selection and pick-up means.

19. A method as claimed in claim 18, characterized in that the administration units (2) are replenished manually in a dedicated area such as a loading receptacle consisting of a panel equipped with bars, which slides out to be loaded by the operator with the required unit doses that will be later rearranged by the manipulator unit (6, 106, 206);

the operator is not required particular positioning of unit doses (2);

he can place the doses randomly (so saving time) because the apparatus 1 is able to read—

via the bar code—

each dose and to place it in the desired position as managed by the software.

23. A method as claimed in claim 15, characterized in that it allows automated sequential preparation of medicaments for multiple patients, one drawer/compartment of the cart being assigned to each patient.